5 Reasons Saints Need to Sign Drew Brees RIGHT NOW
February 4, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) addresses the media during a press conference prior to Super Bowl 50 at Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
#4. QB Market Value Has Skyrocketed
Supply and demand.
They say you can explain everything with economics, and when you look at free agency, and the effect it has on the NFL, they might be right. Quarterbacks are getting paid more money than ever before and they no longer have to be elite.
Brock Osweiler just signed a four year deal with the Texans, worth $72 million, with $37 million guaranteed.
The man started 7 games in his entire career, and he is making MORE PER YEAR THAN DREW BREES. Think about that for a moment.
Unfortunately, the trend doesn’t stop there.
Andrew Luck’s extension raised the bar for all future quarterback deals, signing a $140 million dollar contract over six years. That comes out to over $23 million per year.
You can bet that Drew Brees’ agent, Tom Condon, is paying attention to these contracts.
Dec 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) stretches before the start of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Why does this matter you ask?
This might seem like apple to oranges, since these are young quarterbacks that teams expect to be the face of the franchise for years to come.
However, these numbers affect all quarterback signings.
Sam Bradford recently signed a $35 million dollar extension with the Eagles. This comes out to $17.5 million a year, awfully close to Drew’s average of $20 million a year.
If teams are willing to pay this kind of money for Sam Bradford, what would a team like the Jets offer for Drew Brees? They have all the pieces, all they need is a quarterback.
If Drew goes out and has the season we all expect him to, he will hold all the cards. The Saints will be competing against the open market.
Drew said he wants to retire a Saint, but all players think about their legacy.
If the Saints have another mediocre season, despite Brees’ best efforts, how tempting would it be to go to a team with a Super Bowl defense, and get more money? The chance at another ring coupled with a nice payday might be too tempting to pass up.
The market for quarterbacks is only going to get more ludicrous. The Saints can spare themselves a lot of anxiety, and save a lot of cash by getting this deal done.
Restructuring would also have immediate benefits….
Next: More Talent